Book of Brains and Brilliant Bodies
Author/Partner: Little House of Science
Titles: This Book is Full of Brains (October 2021) | Brilliant Bodies Inside and Out (May 2024)
Illustrating this anatomy series for Buster Books in partnership with the STEM education experts at Little House of Science was a fantastic exercise in turning complex biology into a fun, high-energy visual adventure. Across both titles, the goal was to take the intimidation factor out of human anatomy and replace it with a sense of awe, play, and curiosity.
Transforming Complex Ideas into Storytelling
The Brain as a Command Centre: For the first book, This Book is Full of Brains (2021), I had to visually demystify the body’s ultimate supercomputer. I focused on creating an "access-all-areas" visual tour, turning abstract neuroscientific concepts—like how thoughts travel, the history of neuroscience, and sensory mapping—into highly engaging, friendly layouts. The challenge was maintaining clear anatomical relevance while keeping the tone light, energetic, and humorous.
Deep Dives & Comparative Biology: Building on that success, the follow-up book Brilliant Bodies Inside and Out (2024) expanded the scope to the entire human body. Across six comprehensive chapters, I illustrated everything from the mechanics of the eye to the microscopic components of blood. A major component of this book was creating side-by-side visual comparisons with the animal kingdom (such as comparing human neural counts to a tiny water hydra). This required strict accuracy to ensure the scale and biological distinctions were technically correct while keeping the art vibrant and unified.
Integrating Interactive Spreads: Both books were heavily centered on interactive learning, featuring step-by-step home experiments like constructing a model lung or exploring food-tasting mechanics. I designed these spreads to function seamlessly as clear, actionable visual guides, allowing children to safely follow along without the pages feeling cluttered or overly academic
For art buyers and publishers looking at my portfolio, this series demonstrates my ability to handle full-circle creative direction. I can take a complex STEM topic from its initial seed of an idea, develop the editorial narrative, conduct deep subject research, and execute the final high-quality, vibrant artwork.
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